Associate Professor Hirotaka Sakamoto of the Faculty of Science, Okayama University, Associate Professor Keiko Takanami of the Faculty of Environmental Science, Nara Women's University, and others have shown that the right hind leg is the dominant leg when rats scratch their eyes. A research group found out.Furthermore, it was found that facial itching is transmitted by a neuropeptide called gastrin-releasing peptide (*1) present in the medulla oblongata and its receptors.

 According to Okayama University, the research group injected rats with histamine, which is known to cause itching, and then measured the number and duration of scratching with the hind paws for 60 minutes.As a result, it was found that the right hind leg is the main eye-catcher, and that rodents have a dominant leg.

 They also found that rats in which neurons expressing gastrin-releasing peptide receptors in the medulla oblongata were removed scratched less often than rats that did not.The research group believes that gastrin-releasing peptide receptors in the medulla oblongata are involved in the brain's recognition of itchy eyes.

 Physical itching is thought to be transmitted through the spinal sensory nervous system, while facial itching is transmitted through the trigeminal sensory system.Although previous studies have shown that the gastrin-releasing peptide system is involved in the majority of somatic itch in rodents, it is unknown whether the gastrin-releasing peptide system is involved in itch transmission originating from the eyes. I didn't.

*1 Gastrin-releasing peptide It is believed to be involved in many physiological actions, such as the transmission of itching and sexual function in males.

Paper information:[Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences] Footedness for scratching itchy eyes in rodents

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